Ind. House Democrats could end boycott Monday

Rep. B. Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend, checks his watch when asked when his caucus would return to the House floor after he received a guarantee that a an amendment offered by Democrats to hold a statewide referendum on the right-to-work bill will be heard and voted on at the Statehouse in Indianapolis, Friday, Jan. 20, 2012.

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana House's Democratic leader says his boycotting members are willing to return at "high noon" Monday to begin debating the contentious right-to-work bill.

Minority Leader Patrick Bauer took to the House floor microphone Friday morning, saying Democrats will work over the weekend to remove a cloud of unconstitutionality over their proposal for a statewide referendum on the bill.

Bauer and Republican Speaker Brian Bosma earlier had a tense 10-minute exchange on the House floor during which Bauer pressed for an agreement that the referendum wouldn't be regarded as unconstitutional.

Bosma replied he couldn't guarantee the referendum proposal was constitutional, but assured Bauer that the House would vote on the proposal if Democrats returned to the floor.